IOM Strengthens Frontline Capacity through National Training to Advance Protection and Accountability Standards in Myanmar

Yangon – The International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the inter-agency Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) Network and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) working groups, organized a four-day training on PSEA to strengthen protection standards and enhance accountability in humanitarian operations across Myanmar. This hybrid training took place in Yangon from 17 to 20 June, bringing together 50 participants in person and online to strengthen frontline capacity to deliver protection services in line with global humanitarian standards. 

The compounding effects of ongoing crises and the March 2025 earthquake have intensified protection and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) needs across Myanmar.  

Frontline actors are facing growing pressure to deliver principled and people-centred services. Communities affected by crises, directly and indirectly, have reported increasing emotional distress, loss of documentation and fear due to prolonged instability.  

Combined with limited access to essential services, these challenges have made it critical for humanitarian and development actors in the country to uphold protection standards more effectively, ensuring affected populations are supported in safe and accountable ways. 

IOM plays a leading role in coordinating inter-agency efforts to strengthen protection and accountability in Myanmar. As Co-Chair of the AAP working group and an active member of the inter-agency PSEA Network, IOM supports frontline responders to adopt survivor-centred approaches and establish trusted and safe complaints and feedback mechanisms at the grassroots level. In addition, IOM ensures that communities not only enhance access to adequate and culturally sensitive protection and MHPSS services, but also actively shape their own recovery and resilience solutions. 

“As humanitarian needs grow, so does our responsibility to ensure that protection and accountability remain central to our response,” said Daihei Mochizuki, IOM Chief of Mission in Myanmar. “This initiative enhances local capacity to implement PSEA and AAP through coordinated inter-agency action, ensuring that affected populations are not only protected but also meaningfully involved in shaping the assistance they receive.” 

The four-day training, conducted mainly in Burmese with interpretation support where needed, focused on core AAP and PSEA principles, including power dynamics in aid settings, reporting pathways and information-sharing strategies. Facilitators guided participants through technical presentations, case-based discussions and interactive exercises on survivor-centred responses, confidential reporting mechanisms and participatory feedback systems. This approach equipped participants with practical tools to apply protection principles into their day-to-day work. 

One of the participants noted that the training was been very valuable, adding, “In our work, we often support people from diverse backgrounds, and cultural barriers have made outreach difficult. The sessions helped us understand how to apply PSEA and AAP principles in a respectful and safe way. I plan to hold awareness sessions in our community to share this knowledge.” 

The training was supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which has been instrumental in enabling IOM’s efforts to address critical capacity gaps in protection and MHPSS service delivery since 2023. Through KOICA’s support, IOM continues to invest in building localized, coordinated and sustainable approaches that meet the urgent needs of communities across Myanmar. 

*This article was originally published on the IOM Myanmar website.